Mrs Bravo and I were there in April. It was was a real eye opener seeing the levels of the dams. Apparently unless there is good rain or a big snow coverage there may be no electricity produced next summer.

Unfortunately this is pretty much the state of dams around the country, the exception being NQ where the dams are near full. The three main dams for Brisbane are less than 20%. Adelaide is even worse and Melbourne and Sydney not much better.

An issue with regards to climate change is that future rainfall events are going to be less frequent but more intense. Which means in the future dams are going to fill up quickly (which will create water quality problems, blue green algal blooms just one) and then drain down to low levels. So what you are seeing is a possible glimpse into the future. Think of the ecosystems that only have limited period of drought resistance.

While dam yields are fallen in recent times because we now have better data (the recent drought provides a data at one extreme) and better a*nalytical techniques, the impact of climate change could dramatically reduce yeilds even further, making this a very serious issue.

Never argue with a fool! They drag you down to their level, and beat you with experience!

Dont get me wrong - YES I do believe we are in trouble with our water situation. Yes I do believe we are to blame for our current water situation, for using too much water for too long.

BUT No I dont believe in global warming or climate change.

We are only more "alert" to "global warming" and "climate change" and listen to "global warming experts" because of our current state of drought. Most other countries couldn't give 2 hoots more than they gave 10 - 15 years ago.

As for more rain less frequently - you do realise when the Eildon Wier was completed (ie the 2nd wall commisioned) it filled up entirely in under 18 months! thats something ridiculous like 30 times the capacity of sydney harbour! Thats a SH!T load of water to fall from the sky in any ones language!

Interesting Pics though Derek. Dad was up at Eildon a couple of weeks ago and said the bridge at Big river was about 30 foot out of the water.

Also it wont be the water thats cause the deterioration of the bridge. In fact the water will have preserved it. It will be the oxygen and more importantly the sunlight thats caused the bridge to deteriorate rapidly!

A place I'd rather be...Mitchel Road, Bomjinna. Central West Victoria (Jan '08)

I am with Komodo with this one here I believe that there may be a problem but if it was so huge things would happen faster. I am more worried about natural resources eg oil some of them are running out quickly.

ha ha it is the same issue oil and water. The issue is that we choose to ignore it because of the dollars involved.

I think there is a remote chance that the climate isn't changing because of our overuse of fossil fuels, after all the evidence is quite compelling. But think guys, even if they know about it, they would choose to keep their economy afloat rather than close what oil reserves are left. It's not so long ago that Communism was a serious threat to Them that they would risk the Collapse that would come if the Oil market was pulled from underneath it.

In the end we are just animals who have dominated and overpopulated our environment and have proceeded to destroy it- just like any other animal would have done.

It's no myth that the Polar ices are melting and the Oceans are rising. The Australian population is mostly coastal but we choose to ignore it and hope it goes away.

It's also no myth that our continent is a desert one as you have already said. And even facing this long term drought our governments still play their games of politics and only do enough to get them elected next year. Any bushie who isn't connected to the mains water knows how to conserve water, but even facing possible disaster Melbourne just continues to chew up the water coming to it from the rest of Victoria. Every building in Melbourne should have a watertank on it, not just the houses that the councils and governments choose to reimburse for it. Not one toilet should be flushed using precious water from the drought ridden countryside. But life goes on and we can still water our gardens between 6 and 8am every morning.

Every building should also have solar panels and solar heating coils too at the very least. But our collective minds don't work that way. If everyone created their own electricity who would get rich from our use of it?

And Troy don't be shy to have a rant because someone else has too, all our opinions are as worthwhile as each others. In fact I think common sense tends to end at the individual, put people together and the bigger the numbers often the less sense is made!

And as long as that is tye case, the poor old Snowy will continue to die. There is not even enough water going down it to wash away silt and algea at the moment. I realy do hope to see the situation allow the resoration of some percentage of flow down the Snowy. A great Australian icon on the verge of death. Scott.